Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

There's a marketplace for sex and love, and you're in it. In Dollars and Sex, economist Marina Adshade converts economic theory into a sexy science by applying the principles of supply and demand and other market forces to matters of love and libido. As she does in her hugely popular blog of the same name, Adshade unlocks the mysteries behind our actions, thoughts, and preferences using engaging research, economic analysis, and humor. The end result is a fascinating look at just how central the interplay of libido, gender, love, power, and economic forces is to the most important choices we make in our lives. Ultimately she shows that every option, every decision, and every outcome in matters of sex and love is better understood through economics.

Review:

"Ever wonder why a high-value mate faces intractable levels of search friction in the saturated courtship market (read: why a nice guy can't get a date)? If so, Adshade's got news for you. In this blog-to-book treatise on the relationship between sex and the free market, the University of British Columbia professor discusses sexual behavior in terms of micro- and macroeconomic principles. Chapters dealing with the latter are the book's most successful; her reporting on external forces — such as widespread Internet use, mass incarceration, and income inequality — lead to provocative conclusions on the future of marriage. On the other hand, sections devoted to microeconomic principles and institutions are circuitous and opaque, and are frequently broken up by distracting digressions. However, when the two sides of her argument converge, Adshade's strong suit is clear — she deftly relays the basics of economics (in this case, comparative advantage) using statistically observed behavior, and shades her position with astute reporting on external cultural and economic conditions. The content of the book springs from an undergraduate course Adshade teaches called 'Economics of Sex and Love,' so readers unfamiliar with Econ 101 (or Sex 101 for that matter) needn't fear — Adshade's an understandable and engaging teacher. Agent: Danielle Svetcov, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency." Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Dr. Marina Adshade teaches economics at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada. In 2008, she launched an undergraduate course titled Economics of Sex and Love, which invited her students to approach questions of sex and love through an economist's lens. The course was an instant hit, and led to the launch of the blog, Dollars and Sex.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

Frosty Pink Lipstick, October 14, 2013 (view all comments by Frosty Pink Lipstick)
If you've ever been mystified by the romantic or sexual choices people make (and who hasn't?), read this book. Dollars and Sex examines sex and marriage from the cold, logical risk/reward perspective of economics. Author Dr. Marina Adshade, an Economics professor, illuminates the murky world of romantic love and sex by shining the light of market theory upon it. This is the first Economics book I was sorry to have finished!

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"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"Ever wonder why a high-value mate faces intractable levels of search friction in the saturated courtship market (read: why a nice guy can't get a date)? If so, Adshade's got news for you. In this blog-to-book treatise on the relationship between sex and the free market, the University of British Columbia professor discusses sexual behavior in terms of micro- and macroeconomic principles. Chapters dealing with the latter are the book's most successful; her reporting on external forces — such as widespread Internet use, mass incarceration, and income inequality — lead to provocative conclusions on the future of marriage. On the other hand, sections devoted to microeconomic principles and institutions are circuitous and opaque, and are frequently broken up by distracting digressions. However, when the two sides of her argument converge, Adshade's strong suit is clear — she deftly relays the basics of economics (in this case, comparative advantage) using statistically observed behavior, and shades her position with astute reporting on external cultural and economic conditions. The content of the book springs from an undergraduate course Adshade teaches called 'Economics of Sex and Love,' so readers unfamiliar with Econ 101 (or Sex 101 for that matter) needn't fear — Adshade's an understandable and engaging teacher. Agent: Danielle Svetcov, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency." Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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